Session 4: Europe 11 – USA 13

Session 4 - Sunday 13:00

The penultimate session once again kicks off with the Baker team, the event which this year has been so

Tommy Jones

successful for the European quartet. Then the event segues into alternating doubles and singles matches.

The final session takes to the specially-installed lane at the Barnsley Metrodome at 18:00 local time.

The first team to amass 17 points will be declared the winners and matches will cease at that point.

It was interesting to get comments on this year's Weber cup from veteran TV commentator Cass Edwards. "I honestly think that the sides are so equally matched this year that you can't pick a

Cass Edwards

winner,"he said. "Previously, the teams had the odd weak link, especially on Team USA, but this year it is so tight and it is probably going to go right down to the wire. Europe are so strong, as they have been for the past couple of years, but there are two new guys on the American team and we know their pedigree and how good they are, so it is just a matter of whether they can perform to their highest capability in this environment.

"We are only halfway through this year, but the lane conditions are really up to scratch although we've had one or two problems with some corner pins being left as the lanes have changed, so the splits have come. As it goes at the moment this is easily one of the best Weber Cups."

American team captain Chris Barnes commented "We have to get off to a lot better start so we want to get this thing even and get them feeling not so comfortable with having a lead all the time. If we can get them to where they have to start worrying about losing this thing, rather than maintaining then that changes the mindset quite a bit.

"Paul (Moor) is averaging about 20 pins more than everybody else. If we can beat him that's a bonus point for us and that is probably where it will swing."

Chris Barnes stated earlier that he intended the American team to get off to a good start this afternoon, and they did just that, completely dominating the Baker team opener as the Europeans just could not get to grips with a new lane pattern, the oil being extended to 41 feet, the longest pattern used so far in this year's Weber Cup.

Three open frames by the Europeans left the door wide open for the visitors who managed a three-bagger and a double to post a lowly 198, but that was enough to take the point with the Europeans fading to 160.

Now the format switches to doubles, played 'Scotch doubles' style, with the players alternating shots.

Honors even now that the Americans have taken the two points from the opening two matches, putting their feet firmly on the throttle and forcing the Europeans to attempt a tenth frame strike out to gain the advantage. Palermaa's opening tenth frame shot looked good for a strike but the 8-pin thought otherwise and the duo failed to match the 234 posted by the American pair.

This is what the Americans were looking for today and this is what they have got.

And now, good folk, start the celebrations as the American quartet take three points from the first three games of this session. It didn't all go O'Neill's way as both players started with five good strikes but it was Barrett who cracked first, losing his line in the eighth frame to leave the 2-8-10 split and then follow that with an open frame. All O'Neill had to do was stay clean and he did that with a touch of class, striking out in the tenth frame for a handsome 233.

Osku Palermaa now returns to the lane, this time partnered by fellow countryman Mika Koivuniemi for the second doubles match of the afternoon. They are up against 'white belt' Mike Fagan and US captain Chris Barnes. Can the europeans salvage a point and stop the rot? time will tell.

Dancing in the aisles of Barneley's Metrodome now as the European's squeeze back a point and level up the series.

Both doubles teams commenced with open frames, brings lots of 'oohs' from the packed arena, but four strikes in a row from the European pair put them in commanding position and they maintained that lead through to finish with 239 and a healthy win. Once again, we saw a single pin miss as Fagan bowled wide of the 10-pin in frame six and we had the strange situation of having to wait until the tenth frame before we saw a spare being bowled.

Now a classic, a confrontation of Mika Koivuniemi against Tommy Jones. Strikes galore? We hope so.

Ladies and gentlemen, a striking masterclass from Thomas Jones of south Carolina, US of A. Strikes all the way the first eleven shots for Mr 300, the only man to be credited with thee perfect games here at the Barnsley Metrodome. Unfortunately, his final ball was a little wide and the 10-pin stood laughing at the roars of disappointment of the full house.

Sadly, it was a really bad day for 'The Moose', Mika Koivuniemi. He was never in the game and could only sit and admire the skill of Mr Jones.

Five matches out of six for the Americans after Jones and O'Neill wipe the floor with Barrett and Moor in the final doubles match. For a while it looked as though we were going to get another 290-plus game but a 10-pin in the sixth frame spoiled the predictions coming out of the commentary box. The lane pattern set for this session certainly suited the Americans more than the Europeans and the final result may depend on that pattern set for the final session which commences here at 18:00.

Bob Johnson has received more national writing awards than any other bowling writer — close to 70 over the course of his 40-year career. He began at age 16 as a staff writer and then assistant editor for the weekly Pacific Bowler newspaper in his native California, and within three years was writing feature stories for Bowlers Journal. He has written for the magazine ever since, except for a five-year span when he was hired as the founding editor of another magazine. He moved to Chicago in 2000 and spent 13 years in the Windy City, including five as Bowlers Journal’s Editor. In 1975, Johnson received the Robert E. Kennedy Award as California’s top undergraduate high school journalist. Five years earlier, on the lanes, he had shared the Bantam Division Doubles championship in the Orange County Junior Bowling Association Championships. Today, he continues to work full-time for Bowlers Journal as its Senior Editor, to write his popular “Strikes Me” column, and to edit Luby Publishing Inc.’s weekly business-to-business Cyber Report.